Meal Planning Monday ~ Cooking with Wine

Anyone who knows me for five minutes knows that I love wine, especially a nice glass of cabernet. There’s nothing like a great glass of wine to accompany a well-cooked meal. Not only do I like to drink wine, but I also enjoy cooking with wine. Both white and red wine can be used in cooking various dishes to impart great flavor with zero fat.

While I was in Michigan over the Thanksgiving holiday, I did a little shopping in Holland’s quaint downtown district. There’s a fabulous foodie store there with an entire wall of single spices and blends, plus tiny jars of gourmet mustards, jams, sauces, and other goodies to delight my inner Julia Child. I bought a Tuscan spice blend that I was anxious to try as soon as I got home to my own kitchen. There was a recipe on the back for marinated chicken that included red wine, so I knew it would be good. I ended up using some boneless chicken thighs I had in the freezer and baking them in the oven. They were heavenly! Even my hubby – who isn’t a wine drinker – declared them to be delicious. I served it with my new favorite side dish: Minute Rice Multi-Grain Medley. It has a blend of brown, red, and wild rice plus quinoa – and it cooks in 10 minutes. There’s no seasoning, so I added some thyme and a chicken bouillon cube to the rice before cooking it.

Another one of my favorite recipes is Chicken & Mushrooms with Garlic White Wine Sauce. It’s a quick and easy recipe to make and tastes fantastic! I also love serving this dish over rice, which absorbs the wine sauce. Mushrooms are a great pairing with wine, either white or red. Sometimes I will just sauté mushrooms in a small amount of butter with some wine, which makes for a flavorful side dish.

What kind of wine do I use when I’m cooking? Honestly, whatever I’ve got at the house for pouring in my glass is what I use in my cooking! Here are some great recipes to try with wine.

Red Wine Beef Stew – Nick loves beef stew and I’m always up for trying a new variation on this easy crock pot supper. This recipe is chocked full of mushrooms, tomatoes, and other veggies – no potatoes - which makes it a great dish for those people who are eating low-carb!

1 Tbs. of Tuscan seasoning blend. If you can’t find a pre-mixed blend at your local store, make it yourself with this recipe.

Mix the olive oil, red wine, and Tuscan seasoning blend in a small bowl. Rinse the chicken thighs and trim any excess fat. Place the thighs in a resealable bag with the oil and wine mixture. Let the thighs marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Discard the excess marinade and place the chicken thighs in a baking dish or pan that’s been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Bake the thighs for 20 – 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. (This recipe can also be made with chicken breasts.)